Device for protection against robbers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. H. JACKSON 8v T. JQRIGE.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ROBBERS.

Patented May 7, 1895.

(No Model.)

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G. H. JACKSON & T. J. RICE. DEVICE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ROBBBRS.

Patented May 7, 1895.

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GEORGE H. JACKSON AND THOMAS J. RICE, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ROBBERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,968, dated May '7, 1895.

A li ti fil d March 13, 1 894. Serial No. 503,518- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE H. JACKSON and THOMAS .LRIOE, of Ypsilanti, county of Washtenaw, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Protection Against Robbers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of our invention is to produce as a means of protection for safes, express cars, or the like a door or wall which, upon being attacked will automatically discharge a volley of shots.

-Our invention also relates to means for concealing the fact that the door is guarded in the manner described and means for rendering the mechanism harmless during the time that there is no necessity for protection.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door, showing one embodiment of our invention. Fig. 2 is an inside view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the gun-frame. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is another sectional view taken on lines 5 f Fig. 3 and showing in dotted lines the revolverbarrels tilted downward. Fig. 6 is a view of a section of the door stile and panel and means for securing the panel movably to the stile.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the stiles of a door; 2 and 3, the upper and lower rails, respectively, and 4 the panel thereof.

In doors of the description to which our invention is especially applicable these parts would be made of steel or malleable iron, but our invention is equally applicable to ordinary wooden doors. In the illustration shown in Fig. 1 the door is shown as studded with bolt heads 5, because iron doors are usually manufactured so as to present such an appearance, but the use of bolted doors is not necessary in the employment ofour device. The shape, size and dimensions of the door are also inatters of detail which may be varied at will.

While we have illustrated but one panel it should be understood thata plurality of panels may be employed in the same door, in which case it will probably be necessary to equip but one panel with our device. The panel 4-is preferably set in a rabbit 6 which prevents its moving outwardly and conceals the looseness of the joint between it and the outside frame of the door. The panel is designed to move inwardly and for that purpose may be secured as by springs 7 surrounding bolts 8 and bearing against ears 9 bolted or riveted to the panel. The object of employing a movable panel is to adapt it as a prime mover for discharging defensive mechanism when it is attacked and struck from the outside.

10 indicates embrasures through which the firearms are designed to discharge. They are, in practice, preferably concealed by readily removable plugs 11 that are made to exactly correspond with the bolt heads with which the door is studded. Other suitable means for effecting such concealment may be employed when a bolted door is not used. In fact, the panel if made of wood may be partially pierced by the embi'asures from within so that the first discharge of the guns would be efiective through the door.

For utilizing a movable panel as a prime mover we have illustrated suitable mechanism which consists of a cross piece 12 carried upon end pieces 13 which may be mortised into the stiles of the door. The cross piece may extend beyond the end pieces and afford ledges 12 for the reception of bolts 14: by which the parts may be secured to the door. The end pieces and cross piece constitute a frame which may be easily secured in place and may be readily removable. The frame is preferably made of nickel plated steel. In practice, it is preferably concealed by a box designed in imitation of a mail box, for example, ordinarily employed in an express or mail car. Such concealment would be necessary only in a car in which the fact that the door was guarded might otherwise become generally known. On a safe doora case might or might not be used, as preferred.

15 indicates each of a plurality of guns under which term we include any suitable mechanism for discharging missiles. As illustrated, they consist of ordinary self-cocking revolvers provided with breech plates 16 which, by bolts 17, are secured to the cross piece 12. The barrels 18 of these revolvers are hinged to the breech as indicated at 19 in the manner of the well-known Smith & Wesson revolver. They also break in like manner, as indicated at 20.

21 indicates a muzzle coupling plate which is provided with apertures 22 shaped and located so as to receive the ends of the muzzles of each of the guns and to admit of their movement therein. By this means the muzzles when swung upon their respective hinges 19 may be made to drop as one and may be held in the firing position by sustaining the platein the proper position. For this purpose each of the outside guns of. the series may be provided with a suitable catch 23 which may support the muzzles of these guns and their breeches or release them. Since, however, all the guns are coupled together when the outside guns are in operating order and held in place by their catches, the others will be also in operative positions. It is considered unnecessary to illustrate in detail the catch 23, since it may be of the well-known construction in the Smith & Wesson breech. loading revolvers, with the addition of a curved arm 24 for convenience of manipulation.

Any suitable means of sustaining the muzzle plate 21 may be substituted for the catches illustrated, the object being merely to provide for conveniently putting the guns into the operative or inoperative positions in order to insure their discharge if needed and to prevent theliability of accidental discharge when not required.

Having now described the door and the guns and frame, it remains to be explained how the panel or the prime mover 4 maybe made to discharge the guns. Forthispurpose we prefer to employ a trigger rod 25. which is carried in slots 26 in the end pieces 13 and crossing the trigger 27 of each of the guns. By being drawn against the triggers the guns may be simultaneously discharged, such movement of the rod being permitted by the slots in which it is carried .by the end pieces. 28 indicates rods secured at one end to the trigger rod and passing through bearing slots 29 in the muzzle plate 21. These rods project beyond the face of the muzzle plate and come into contact or nearly so with the inside of the panel. It will be perceived, therefore, that if the panel is struck or pushed. with suflicient force to move it against the power of the springs 7 it will strike the ends of the rods 28 and push back the trigger rod 25 against the triggers 27, thereby discharging all of the guns and insuring death or disabling injury to the attacking party in front of their muzzles.

If it were desired to discharge the guns without the operation of the panel it could be readily done by an operator from within by. pulling upon the trigger rod 25. After one. firing the springs of the triggers will serve to restore the trigger rod to its former position. If the guns which are employed be self-cocking the apparatus would be ready for iinmediate use after a discharge.

It will be observed by reference to Fig.5 of the drawings, that the muzzle. plate being secured to the muzzles necessarily assumesv a slanting position when the muzzles are dropped and it is to accommodate this move ment that the slots 29, through which the rods rods 28 drop away from the panel without danger of retracting the triggers.

When desired, the guns are raised and sustained by the catches 23 in proximity to the panel, which when moved laterally actuates the triggers in the manner hereinbefore specified.

Where our device is employed in an. ex-

. press car, for example, the wall opposite the muzzles of the guns would be preferably made bullet proof so that no danger of accidental injury to outside employs. or passengers in a train would ensue upon the operation of the device.

What we claim is 1. The combination with a'suitable support of a plurality of guns provided with hinged muzzles and a muzzle plate, of catches for sustaining the. muzzle platein the elevated position or whereby it may be released, and the muzzles simultaneouslyswung upon their pivots, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a door and movable panel, of a gun and frame secured to the door, and mechanism connecting the gun trigger with the movable panel, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a door, movable panel, and embrasure therein, of a gun, gun

frame, and triggeractuating mechanism communicating with the panel to discharge the gun, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a door, movable panel, embrasure therein, and means for concealing the embrasure, of agun, and discharging mechanism operatively connecting the panel with the gun, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a door, spring supported movable panel, gun, frame, and discharging mechanism connecting the gun with the panel, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a door, movable panel, and gun frame, of a plurality of guns, hinged muzzles, muzzle plates connecting the same, and muzzle plate sustaining mechanism, triggers. and trigger rod and rods projecting from the, trigger rod toward and adjacent tothe panel, substantially asset forth.

In testimonyof all, which we have hereunto subscribed our names.

GEORGE H. JACKSON. THOMAS J. RICE. 

